Allen Temple AME Church, Tampa Host Pastors Meeting with FDOT Official at Transportation Forum
On Monday, June 5, the Rev. Dr. Glenn Dames, senior pastor at Allen Temple AME Church, Tampa, Florida, hosted a Pastors’ Transportation Forum at the church. Bishop Thomas Scott, Chairperson of the Tampa Coalition of Clergy and Askia Aquil and Ernest Barefield of the Collective Empowerment Group of Tampa Bay invited their membership of pastors to hear the presentation of Tampa Bay Next “Future of Transportation.”
Administrator Ed McKinney of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Mrs. Chloe Coney, Public Involvement Specialist, presented a PowerPoint presentation on “Tampa Bay Next.” FDOT was seeking participation in a community-based conversation to address Tampa Bay’s critical transportation needs.
FDOT’s Tampa Bay Next Project is a $3 to $4 billion project and the pastors were interested in the creation of small business and workforce development for their communities and residents. The Rev. Dames stated, “It is important that the church is at the table to advocate on behalf of the community.” He further stated that “If you’re not at the table, then you will surely be on the menu.”
Also in attendance was Ms. Dianne Hart, CEO of East Tampa Business and Civic Association; Virgil Perry, CDC of Tampa, Tampa Vocational Institute; Albert Coleman, Hillsborough County African American Liaison; and Cedric McCray, an aide to City Councilman Frank Reddick. The pastors ended the meeting wanting to stay involved in the discussion of multi-modal transportation options.
Caption: Among those in attendance at the meeting were from left to right on the front row: Pastor Chris Davis; Cedric McCray; Pastor Ernest Coney, Sr.; Ernest Barefield; Bishop Thomas Scott; Mrs. Chloe Coney; Ed McKinney; Ms. Dianne Hart; Askia Aquil; the Rev. R. J. Stevenson; Albert Coleman; the Rev. Dr. Glenn Dames, host pastor; the Rev. Elvis Piggott; the Rev. Clethen Sutton; and the Rev. Kirk Bogan. Shown on the back row are: Virgil Perry; the Rev. Brett Snowden; the Rev. Paul Buster; the Rev. Dr. Zachery Hudson; the Rev. Emmitt Wiseman; the Rev. Brinson; Daniel Lee; Sister Bogan, and the Rev. Joseph Sykes.
